This list contains Italian words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult an Italian-English dictionary. (Also, see the “Additional Resources” section.)

Italian is a Romance language derived from Latin. Many of the words resemble those of Latin. See Latin Genealogical Word List (34077). Italian is spoken in Italy and the southern part of Switzerland in the cantons of Ticino and Graubünden. Italian is also spoken in Yugoslavia near the border with Trieste. Some of the records of Corsica, Nice, and Savoy were written in Italian before those areas became part of France. Clusters of Italian immigrants in major cities like New York, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, and Melbourne also speak Italian. Sicilian, Neapolitan, Romanesque, and Venetian are major dialects of Italian, and they use words similar to the words on this list. Several other minor dialects are spoken in the various provinces of Italy.

Language Characteristics

In Italian, the endings of most words vary according to the way the words are used in a sentence. Who— whose—whom or marry—marries—married are examples of words in English with variant forms. This word list gives the most commonly seen form of each Italian word. As you read Italian records, be aware that almost all words vary with usage. Only some variations are explained in this guide.

Gender

Italian nouns are designated as masculine or feminine. For example, vicinanza (neighborhood) is a feminine word, and villaggio (village) is a masculine word. Generally, nouns ending in !a are feminine, nouns ending !e may be either masculine or feminine, and nouns ending in !o are masculine. Adjectives and articles (a, an, the) will have either masculine or feminine endings for the noun they modify: !a for feminine singular nouns, !o for masculine singular nouns. For example, in Italian you write ava paterna (paternal grandmother) or avo paterno (paternal grandfather).

Plurals

For nouns ending with !a, the plural is formed by replacing the last letter with !e; for nouns ending in !o or !e, replace the last letter with !i to form the plural. For example, figlia (daughter) becomes figlie (daughters), and padrino (godfather) becomes padrini (godparents). Articles and adjectives take e as the feminine plural ending, and i as the masculine plural ending. Buona figlia becomes buone figlie (good daughters) and buono padrino becomes buoni padrini (good godparents).

Verb tense

Verbs also vary depending on mood, who is acting, and whether the action is in the past, present, or future. For example, the Italian verb sposare (to marry) could appear with various endings: Present - Past Tenses marry married, was married (she/he) sposa è sposato, fu sposato, sposò (they) sposano sono sposati, furono sposati, sposarono

Diacritic Marks

The Italian language has several additional letters with diacritic marks: à, è, ì, ò, and ù. These diacritic marks indicate a change in pronunciation, but do not affect alphabetical order. They are more often used in recent documents.

Spelling

Spelling rules were not fixed in earlier centuries when records of our ancestors were written. The k, j, and w are only used in foreign words. The following spelling variations may be found:

y or j used for i

i used for j

Additional Resources

This word list below includes words most commonly found in genealogical sources. A list of Italian Occupations and the English equivalents can be found at RootsWeb (click on this link).

For further help, use an Italian- English dictionary. At the Family History Library, the Italian dictionaries are cataloged with the call number 453.21. The following dictionary is also available on microfilm for use in family history centers:

Key Words

To find and use specific types of Italian records, you will need to know some key words in Italian. This section gives key genealogical terms in English and the Italian words with the same or similar meanings. For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find Italian words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, and other words used in Italian records to indicate marriage.

Italian

English

anni

age (years of)

anno

year

bambino

child

battesimo, -i

baptism(s), christening(s)

cognome

surname

coniugato, -i

marriage(s)

cresima, -e

confirmation(s)

decesso, -i

death(s)

figlia di

daughter of

figlio di

son of

genitori

parents

indice

index

infante

child

nata, nascita, -e

birth(s)

notificazioni

banns

madre

mother

padre

father

sposo

husband

matrimono, maritato, -i

marriage(s)

mese

month

moglie

wife

decesso, -i

death(s)

neonato, neonata

child

nome

name

notificazioni

banns

padrini

godparents

parrocchia

parish

pubblicazioni

banns

seppellimento, sepolto, sepolture, -i

burial(s)

sposa

wife

sposato

marriage(s)

sposo

husband

vedovo, -a -

widower, widow

Numbers

In some genealogical records, numbers are spelled out. This is especially true with dates. The following list gives the cardinal (for example, 1, 2, 3) and the ordinal (for example, 1st, 2nd, 3rd) versions of each number. Days of the month are usually written in cardinal form. Note that all ordinal numbers are adjectives and will end with; o or a depending on the gender of the word it modifies.

English Cardinal

Italian Cardinal

English Ordinal

Italian Ordinal

1

uno

1st

primo, -a

2

due

2nd

secondo, -a

3

tre

3rd

terzo, -a

4

quattro

4th

quarto, -a

5

cinque

5th

quinto, -a

6

sei

6th

sesto, -a

7

sette

7th

settimo, -a

8

otto

8th

ottavo, -a

9

nove

9th

nono, -a

10

dieci

10th

decimo, -a

11

undici

11th

undicesimo, -a

12

dodici

12th

dodicesimo, -a

13

tredici

13th

tredicesimo, -a

14

quattordici

14th

quattordicesimo, -a

15

quindici

15th

quindicesimo, -a

16

sedici

16th

sedicesimo, -a

17

diciassette

17th

diciassettesimo, -a

18

diciotto

18th

diciottesimo, -a

19

diciannove

19th

diciannovesimo, -a

20

venti

20th

ventesimo, -a

21

ventuno

21st

ventunesimo, -a

22

ventidue

22nd

ventiduesimo, -a

23

ventitre

23rd

ventitreesimo, -a

24

ventiquattro

24th

ventiquattresimo, -a

25

venticinque

25th

venticinquesimo, -a

26

ventisei

26th

ventiseiesimo, -a

27

ventisette

27th

ventisettesimo, -a

28

ventotto

28th

ventottesimo, -a

29

ventinove

29th

ventinovesimo, -a

30

trenta

30th

trentesimo, -a

31

trentuno

31st

trentunesimo, -a

40

quaranta

40th

quarantesimo, -a

50

cinquanta

50th

cinquantesimo, -a

60

sessanta

60th

sessantesimo, -a

70

settanta

70th

settantesimo, -a

80

ottanta

80th

ottantesimo, -a

90

novanta

90th

novantesimo, -a

100

cento

100th

centesimo, -a

200

duecento

200th

duecentesimo, -a

1000

mille

1000th

millesimo, -a

Dates and Time

In Italian records, the registrar often indicated the exact time of day when an event occurred. This is generally written out, for example:

L’anno del Signore milleottocentocinquantasette ed alli undici del mese di gennaio alle ore sei della mattina(In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred fifty-seven on the eleventh of the month of January at six o’clock in the morning)

To understand Italian dates, use the following lists as well as the preceding “Numbers” section.

Months

English

Italian

January

gennaio

February

febbraio

March

marzo

April

aprile

May

maggio

June

giugno

July

luglio

August

agosto

September

settembre

October

ottobre

November

novembre

December

dicembre

Days of the Week

English

Italian

Sunday

domenica

Monday

lunedì

Tuesday

martedì

Wednesday

mercoledì

Thursday

giovedì

Friday

venerdì

Saturday

sabato

Times of the Day

Italian birth and death records often indicated the exact time of day when the birth or death occurred. This is usually written out.

English

Italian

afternoon

pomeriggio

at the 16th hour eg:(4:00 P.M.)

alle ore sedici

before noon

ante meridiane

day

giorno

evening

sera

hour

ora

midday

mezzogiorno

midnight

mezzanotte

month

mese

monthly

mensile

morning

mattina

night

notte

of the month of

del mese di

on the day

addì

anno

yesterday

ieri

yesterday evening

iersera

yesterday morning

iermattina

General Word List

This general word list includes words commonly seen in genealogical sources. Numbers, months, and days of the week are listed both here and in separate sections that follow this list.

In this list, optional versions of Italian words or variable endings (such as some plural or feminine endings) are given after a hyphen. Parentheses in the English column clarify the definition. In Italian, some words have both a male and female form, such as:

Italian - English

neonato - male child

neonata - female child

When a word has both a male and female version, this word list gives the feminine ending of words after a hyphen, such as:

Italian - English

neonato, -a - male child, female child

cognato, -a - brother-in-law, sister-in-law

cugino, -a - male cousin, female cousin

† = morto, -a - died

The following list first shows the Italian word followed by the English word.

A

Italian

English

a

at, to

abbiamo

we have

abbiente

owner

abbracciatutto

jack-of-all-trades

abiatico

grandson

abitante

inhabitant

abitare

to live

abitazione

home, residence

a cagione di

because of

a casa

at home

accanto

beside

accusato

accused, charged

addì

on the day

adesso

now

adottato, -a

adopted

adultero, -a

adulterer

affinità

relationship

affittuario, -a

renter, tenant

agente

agent

agosto

August

agricoltore

farmer

albergatore

innkeeper

albero genealogico

pedigree

alcuni, -e

some

alcuno, -a

any, some

alias

alias, also known as

alla nascita

time of birth

allegati

supplements

alle ore

at the hour

allevatore

animal feeder

allora

then

all’uopo

to this end

almeno

at least

alto

high

altresì

also, too

altre volte

formerly

altro

other, else

ambedue

both

amico, -a

friend

amministratore

steward, manager

amministrazione

administration

amogliato

took a wife

anche

also

ancora

yet, still

andiamo

right away, immediately

anime

parish census

annegato

drowned

anni

years

anniversariov

anniversary

anno

year

annotazioni

annotations

annuale

annual, yearly

antenato, -i

ancestor(s)

anzidetta

aforesaid

anzitutto

first of all, initially

appartenenza religiosa

religious affiliation

appartienev

pertains

appena

as soon as

apprendista

apprentice

appresso

after, the next

aprile

April

araldica

heraldry

aratore

plowman

archivi

archives

archivi di stato

state archives

arrivo

arrival, immigration

artefice

maker

ascesso

abscess

asma

asthma

assessore comunale

alderman

attacco

seizure

attesa

awaiting

atti diversi

miscellaneous records

atto di matrimonio

marriage certificate

atto di morte

death certificate

atto di nascita

birth certificate

austriaco

Austrian

ava materna

maternal grandmother

avanti di

before

ava paterna

paternal grandmother

avere

to have

avi

ancestors

avo

ancestor

avo materno

maternal grandfather

avo paterno

paternal grandfather

avoro, -a

grandfather (grandmother)

avvocato

lawyer

B

Italian

English

babbo

father

bambina illegittima

illegitimate girl

bambini

children

bambino, -a

child, baby

bambino illegittimo

illegitimate boy

banchiere

banker

bandi di matrimonio

marriage banns, notices

barbiere

barber

barca, fabbricatore di

boat maker

barcaiolo

boatman

barilaio

cooper, barrel maker

barista

bartender

barone

baron

basso

low

bastardo, -a

illegitimate child

battesimale

baptismal

battesimo

baptism

battezzare

baptize

battezzarono they

baptized

battezzato, -a

baptized

battezzo

baptized

beccaio

butcher

beccamorti

grave digger

becchino

grave digger

benché

although

benestante

wealthy person

beni immobili

real property, real estate

beni stabili

real property, real estate

bettoliere

tavern keeper

bianco

white

biblioteche

libraries

bidello

janitor

bifolco

plowman

biografia

biography

birraio

barkeeper, brewer

bisavo, -a

great-grandfather (greatgrandmother)

bisavolo, -a

great-grandfather (greatgrandmother)

bis-bisnonno

second great-grandfather

bisnonna

great-grandmother

bisnonno

great-grandfather

boaro

cattle hand

borghese

burgher, citizen

bottaio

cooper, barrel maker

bottegaio

shopkeeper

bovaro

cattle driver

bracciale

laborer

bracciante

farm laborer

bucataia

washwoman

buio

dark

buono, -a

good

burraio

dairyman

C

Italian

English

cacciatore

hunter

caduto

fallen

cafone

peasant

calderaio

tinker

calzolaio

shoemaker

cameriera

maid, servant girl

cameriere

waiter

cameriere di casa

house steward

campagna

countryside, rural

campagnuolo, -a

countryman, countrywoman

cancro

cancer

cantante

singer (male)

cantatrice

singer (female)

capofamiglia

family head

capostipite

family founder, earliest ancestor

cappellaio

hatter

carabiniere

policeman

carbonaio

coal dealer

carraio

wheelwright

carte

maps, charts

casa

house

casaro

dairy farmer

cassa

chest, cash, cashier

cassetta

chest

castaldo

land agent

castello

castle

catasto

land register

cattolico, -a

Roman Catholic

cavaliere

knight

ce

us

celebrare il matrimonio

solemnize a marriage

celibe

bachelor, bachelorette, single, unmarried

censimento

census

centesimo, -a

hundredth

cento

hundred

certificato

certificate

certifichiamo

we certify

cfr. = confronta

compare

che

which, than, what, who, that, whom

chi

who, whom

chiesa

church

chiesa ortodossa

Greek Catholic

chilometro

kilometer

chimico

chemist

chirurgo

surgeon

chiunque

whoever

ci

there, us, to us

ciabattino

cobbler

cimitero

cemetery

cinquanta

fifty

cinquantesimo, -a

fiftieth

cinque

five

ciò

that

cioè

that is, namely

circa

about, approximately

città

city, town

cittadinanze

citizenship

cittadino, -a

citizen

c. m. (corrente mese)

current month

cocchiere

coachman

cognato, -a

brother-in-law, sister-in-law

cognome, -i

surname(s)

col consenso

with the consent

colera

cholera

collina

hill

colono

farmer, colonist

coltivatore

cultivator, farmer

come

as, like, how

come sopra

as above

commerciante di vino

wine merchant

commissionario

broker

comparenti

appearing

compenso

fee

comprare

to buy

comune

municipality

comunione

communion

comunità

community, township

con

with

conciatore

tanner

concubina

concubine

condizione

status, condition

conducente

driver

confermazione

confirmation

confettiere

confectioner

congiunto

related

coniugati

married

coniugi

married couple

connessione

relationship

consenso

consent

conservato

preserved

consigliere

counselor

contabile

accountant

contadino, -a

farm laborer, peasant

conte

count, earl

contea

county

conto

account, bill

contrada

town quarter

contratto di matrimonio

marriage contract

contro

against

conversione

conversion

convivente

cohabitant

convulsione,-i

convulsion(s)

copie civili di registri parrocchiali

parish register transcripts

cordaio

rope maker

corrente

current

corriere

courier

corte

court

così

thus, so

costruttore

builder

cresima

confirmation

cresimato, -i

confirmee(s)

cristiano, -a

Christian (or Catholic)

croato

Croat

cucitrice

seamstress

cugino, -a

cousin

cuoco

cook

cuore

heart

D

Italian

English

d. = don

respectful male title

da

from, of

dagli

from the (plural)

dal

from the

dalla

from the

dalle

from the (plural)

dallo

from the

danaro

money

data

date

debolezza della vecchiaia

weakness of old age

decennale

decennial

decennio

decade

decesso, -a

deceased, late

decimo, -a

tenth

defunto, -a

deceased person

degli

of the

degno

worthy

dei

of the, from the (plural)

del

of the

della

of the

delle

of the (plural), some

dello

of the

del mese di

of the month of

denaro

money

dentizione

teething

descrizione

description

destra

right (direction)

d’età di

of the age of

detto

said, alias, also known as

di

of, about, concerning

di anni

age

diarrea

diarrhea

di buon’ora

early (A.M.)

dicembre

December

dichiarante

informant

dichiarare

to declare

dichiarato che

declared that

dichiarazione

declaration

diciannove

nineteen

diciannovesimo, -a

nineteenth

diciassette

seventeen

diciassettesimo, -a

seventeenth

diciottesimo, -a

eighteenth

diciotto

eighteen

dieci

ten

dietro

behind

dietro scritto

after signed

difterite

diphtheria

di ieri

yesterday’s

di mattina

in the morning

diocesi

diocese

di pomeriggio

in the afternoon

discendente

descendant

di sera

in the evening

disopra

above

di sotto

below

dispensa di matrimonio

marriage license

disposto

disposed

dissenteria

dysentery

disteso

extended

distretto di

district of

diventare

become

diversi

miscellaneous

divorziare

divorce (verb)

divorzio

divorce (noun)

dizionari geografici

gazetteers

dizionario

dictionary

documenti

records

documenti d’emigrazione

emigration records

documento

record

dodicesimo, -a

twelfth

dodici

twelve

doganiere, doganieri

customs officer(s)

domani

tomorrow

domenica

Sunday

domestica

housekeeper

domiciliato

residing

don

respectful man’s title

donazione

donation

donna

respectful woman’s title

donna di casa

housewife

dono

donation, gift

dopo

after

dopodomani

day after tomorrow

doppio

duplicate record

dottore

doctor

dove

where

dov’è?

where is?

droghiere

druggist, grocer

duca

duke

ducato

duchy

duchessa

duchess

due

two

duecentesimo, -a

two hundredth

duecento

two hundred

dunque

therefore

duplicato

duplicate record

durante

during

E

Italian

English

e, ed

and

è

is

ebanista

cabinetmaker

ebreo, -a

Jew, Jewess, Jewish

eccetto

except

ecco

here is, here are, there is, there are

è comparso, -a

appeared

ed, e

and

egli

he

elenco

list, directory

elenco dei membri

membership list

ella

she

ella stessa

herself

emigrante

emigrant

emigrazione

emigration

è morto

died

è nato

was born

enfiagione

swelling

ép.= é sposato

married

epilessia

epilepsy

eppure

yet, nevertheless

erbivendolo

green grocer

eseguito, -a

executed (a marriage)

esibito

performed

essa

she, it, her, this, that

esse

they, them

essendo

being, acting as

essere

to be

essi

they, them

esso

it

esso stesso

itself

est

east

è stato celebrato

was celebrated

è stato presentato

was presented

esterno

outside

estratto

extract

estrema unzione

last rites

età

age

evento

event

F

Italian

English

fa

ago

fabbricante

manufacturer

fabbricante di tessuto

cloth maker, draper

fabbro

smith

factotum

handyman

falegname

joiner, carpenter

famiglia

family

fanciulla

maiden, young girl

fanciullo

young boy

fante

foot soldier

fatta, -o

done, made

fattore

farmer, creator, maker

febbraio

February

febbre

fever

fede di nascita

birth certificate

femmina

female

femminile

feminine

femminino

femininity

ferraio

blacksmith

feudo- fief

manor

fiacchezza

weakness

fidanzamento

betrothal, engagement to marry

fidanzarsi

to become engaged

fidanzata

fiancée (female)

fidanzato

fiancé (male)

fidanzato

betrothed, engaged

figli

children

figlia di

daughter of

figliastro, -a

stepchild

figlioccio, -a

godchild

figlio di

son of

filatore

spinner

filatrice

spinner

fioraio

florist

firma di

signature of

firmato

signed

fittaiolo

tenant farmer

fiume

river

foresta

forest

forestiero

foreigner, alien

fornaio

baker

forse

perhaps, maybe

fortezza

fortress

fosse

was

fra

between, among

francese

French

fratellastro

half brother

fratello

brother

frazione

hamlet

frontiera

border

fruttaiolo

fruit dealer

fruttivendolo

fruit merchant

fu

late, deceased, was

fu battezzato

was baptized

fu cresimato

was confirmed

funzione di membro

membership list

fuori

out

furono

were

futuro

future

G

Italian

English

gemelli

twins

gemello, -a

twin

gendarme

policeman

genealogia

genealogy

generato

born

genitora, -e

mother(s)

genitore, -i

father(s)

genitori

fathers or parents

genitori ignoti

parents unknown

gennaio

January

gente per bene

gentry

già

already

giacchè

inasmuch as

giammai

never

giardiniere

gardener

gioielliere

jeweler

giornale

newspaper

giornaliero

day laborer

giorno

day

giovane

young

giovedì

Thursday

gioventù

youth

giovinezza

youth

giudaico

Jewish

giudice

judge

giugno

June

giuramento

oath/promise

giurato

juror

gli, gl’

the, to him

gotta

gout

grande

large, great

grosso, grande

big, great

guardaboschi

forester

guardia

guard

guardiano

watchman

H

Italian

English

ha

(s)he has, you have

ha contratto matrimonio

has contracted marriage

hanno

you have, they have

I

Italian

English

i, gli, le

the (plural)

idropisia

dropsy, edema

ieri

yesterday

ignoto

unknown

il, lo, la

the (feminine singular)

il deceduto

the deceased

il giorno di ieri

the previous day

il giorno prossimo

the following day

illegittimo

illegitimate

il loro

their (masculine singular)

i loro

their (masculine plural)

il (la) più vecchio, -a

oldest, eldest

il registro di tassa

tax ledger

imbianchino

plasterer

immigrante

immigrant

immigrazione

immigration

imperiale

royal, imperial

impero

empire

impiegato di tribunale

court clerk

impiegato d’ufficio

clerk

in

in

incinta

pregnant

incisore

engraver

indetto

held. When used following the Italian word for day or month,

it means (the event happened) the same day or month the record was written.